Blog

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A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order, so that the most recent post appears first, at the top of the web page. Until 2009, blogs were usually the work of a single individual, occasionally of a small group, and often covered a single subject or topic. In the 2010s, "multi-author blogs" (MABs) emerged, featuring the writing of multiple authors and sometimes professionally edited. MABs from newspapers, other media outlets, universities, think tanks, advocacy groups, and similar institutions account for an increasing quantity of blog traffic. The rise of Twitter and other "microblogging" systems helps integrate MABs and single-author blogs into the news media. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

History

The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on December 17, 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase "we blog" in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Blogger (service), leading to the popularization of the terms.

Types

Blogs can be categorized into several types based on their content and purpose:

• Personal blogs: An ongoing online diary or commentary by an individual.
• Corporate and organizational blogs: Used for business purposes.
• By genre: Focus on a particular subject, such as political blogs, travel blogs, fashion blogs, etc.
• By media type: Blogs comprising videos are called vlogs, those comprising links are called linklogs, sites containing a portfolio of sketches are called sketchblogs, etc.
• By device: Blogs written by mobile devices like mobile phones or PDAs are called moblogs.

Components

A typical blog combines text, digital images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave publicly viewable comments, and interact with other commenters, is an important contribution to the popularity of many blogs. However, blog owners or authors often moderate and filter online comments to remove hate speech or other offensive content.

Blogging and the Mass Media

Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject or topic, ranging from politics to sports. Others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave publicly viewable comments, and interact with other commenters, is an important contribution to the popularity of many blogs.

Impact on Mainstream Media

Since 2004, blogs have gained increasing notice and coverage for their role in breaking, shaping, and spinning news stories. The use of blogs by politicians and political candidates to express opinions on war and other issues has made blogs a source of significant political commentary.

See also

• Microblogging
• Vlog
• Podcast
• Social media
• Web 2.0